I was just wondering whether it would be possible to set up a weekend of recovery in Europe? I see many other European members here on MS, perhaps enough of us are interested in going to Weekend of recovery somewhere in Europe. A location that is easy to reach for most Europeans is London, since most cities, small or big have affordable flights to London. I am just testing the waters to see if there is anybody else interested in this?

Edited by Niels (12/10/0809:38 AM)

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I live in my own little world - but that is OK! - They know me here.

I've forwarded your idea to the chairperson of the Weekends of Recovery. I wouldn't hold your brath though because flying the team there would make the price for each participant go through the roof. Get us a grant and then it might be manageable!

If you want to show support for having a WoR in Europe, get everyone to state their interest on this thread!!! Get them here and I will get a message directly to the Lead Facilitator of the WoR so he knows your interest.

Please understand the enormity of what is being asked for and give the team your patience. This is no simple task. I have promised to bring this issue up in the team meeting following this weekend's WOR. Our entire focus right now is on the 28 men who will be attending this WOR. After, we will discuss future plans as we always do. Remember that we are all volunteers and we take on as much as we can from year to year. Having said that I promise to make your passion for this issue very clear.

The Weekends of Recovery team is meeting this weekend as we facilitate another Level One weekend in Bangor, PA at Kirkridge. I will raise the issue with the team. I will be interested to see if there are others in Europe who post here who would be interested. Clearly the things that immediately come to mind are:1) this could take a long time to plan;2) finances...flying us all over to London would definitely add to the cost of the weekend3) we'd need a lot of help to locate a suitable facility4) we'd need a lot of help to market this weekend --it certainly makes sense we should be able to find 28 men in Europe willing to commit to a weekend5) we have to consider our own resources here, and whether we have the ability to facilitate the weekends here and then one in Europe...but I must admit it is exciting for me to consider.I will reply again after meeting with our staff this weekend.Howard Fradkin, Ph.D., Chairperson, MS Weekends of Recovery

I like the idea, but by the sound of it i have the feeling that it would be cheaper for me to fly to America to go to one there than fly everybody here and pay even more. Also if it is a weekend of recovery maybe London isn't the best place, you don't want to be stuck in the most expensive city ever, squashed up in somewhere with no countrside anywhere, you want to come somewhere big nice and green and where things cost more normal prices. You should all come to wales and we can find a big facility. That way you don't have to be stuck in a city.

How about coming here and using Gregynog. For example the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council hold workshops there all the time. I've stayed there for a couple of days with all the physics departments from all over Wales. It is really nice inside, and was owned by the two sisters so there is lots of original art hanging up on the walls and nice stuff, oh and there of course is a canteen with good food (and they seem to feed you constantly) and an underground pub (and another pub) and rooms where you can go off and play chess, or go off to the music room and play instruments, or go off and find a room with a piano, or look through the library which has books hundreds of years old if you want. The university of Wales owns it, it was basically just given to all the universities so it is owned by all the universities (with varying influences). Scroll down, the second link is their home page, they welcome charity organisations, available to guests all year around, it is "dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and learning and as such provides a professional and efficient service for organisers of training courses, seminars and more academic conferences". Read the information below for further info.

"Gregynog is a large country hall 4 miles (6 km) northwest of Newtown in Powys, mid-Wales. Various halls have occupied the site since the twelfth century and it was the ancestral home of the Blayneys and the Traceys from the fifteenth century. It was given to the University of Wales in 1963 by owners and art-collectors, Margaret and Gwendoline Davies, the granddaughters of Victorian tycoon, David Davies Llandinam.

The current hall was built in the 1840s by Charles Hanbury-Tracy, 1st Baron Sudeley and is one of the earliest examples of a concrete clad building still in existence. The original estate was over 18,000 acres (73 km˛) but is now set in 750 acres (3 km˛) of mature formal gardens and rolling countryside. The sunken garden and arboretum are of particular note.

The hall is now used by the University of Wales as a conference centre and study centre for students. It is the host to the annual Crisis Simulation by Aberystwyth University's Department of International Politics. Since 1932, the Gregynog music festival has been held here and has attracted names such as Vaughan Williams, Holst, Britten and Elgar.

The hall is also home to Gwasg Gregynog, a private printing press producing limited edition, hand-bound books of the finest order."

"Gregynog is the University of Wales Residential and Day Conference Centre situated six miles north of Newtown in Mid Wales. It is surrounded by the beautiful Montgomeryshire countryside and Gregynog Hall is set in fabulously landscaped gardens that provide extensive grounds for peace and relaxation.

The location of Gregynog, equidistant from all the major cities in Wales, makes it the ideal venue for pan-Wales meetings of national institutions, corporate bodies and charities. The conference centre is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and learning and as such provides a professional and efficient service for organisers of training courses, seminars and more academic conferences.

Gregynog is a venue where innovation and creativity can flourish.

Gregynog Hall was formerly the home of art collectors Gwendoline and Margret Davies but began to build its reputation as a conference centre when it came under the management of the University of Wales in the 1960’s.

Gregynog is available to guests all year around and can host non–residential conferences for up to 180 delegates with residential accommodation for up to 106 delegates (sharing) or 57 on a single occupancy basis. There are a variety of conference rooms that provide adaptable space for a number of different layouts.

As soon as you contact the staff at Gregynog you will realise that you are dealing with friendly and helpful professionals who will do everything they can to make your visit both successful and memorable.

Gregynog holds two quality awards, Investors in People and Hospitality Assured and this reflects the fact that Gregynog places quality and customer satisfaction at the centre of all service provision."

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